Cricket has moved from metros to small towns: Ranjib Biswal

Updated: 02 July 2013 17:19 IST

Biswal was a team selector when Mahendra Singh Dhoni led Team India to the first Twenty20 World Championships in 2007. Having seen Dhoni grow and evolve as a captain, Biswal said he is the best captain that India could ever have.

Written by Press Trust of India

Read Time: 2 mins

New Delhi:

He has been with the Indian cricket team through some of its most memorable triumphs and long-serving manager Ranjib Biswal feels the side's good run of the past two-three years has a lot to do with the influx of small-town boys.

Biswal, who was the team's manager during the 2011 World Cup, the 2012 Asia Cup and the recent Champions trophy, said cricketers from small towns were making an impact was a good sign for the game.

"Those who stay in metros are overconfident. I appreciate the boys from small town, theyÂ don't have fear in them. They are there to prove something but the boys from metros get laidback. See the performance of Umesh Yadav, (Ravindra) Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they are all from small towns which proves cricket is not a game of metros only," said Biswal.

Biswal was a team selector when Mahendra Singh Dhoni led Team India to the first Twenty20 World Championships in 2007. Having seen Dhoni grow and evolve as a captain, Biswal said he is the best captain that India could ever have.

"He (Dhoni) remains calm and expressionless while on field and gives youngsters a chance by encouraging them, boosting their confidence. Outside the field he has his share of jokes and fun and that is what makes him the best Indian captain ever," Biswal said.

"He is the lucky mascot for the Indian Cricket," he added.

Talking about the youngsters in the team, Biswal said they should backed to the hilt and not dropped after one or two bad performances.

"They will win matches, they will lose matches but that doesn't mean that once they lose a match you replace them. These boys should play for at least a year and half if we are to prepare for the 2015 world cup," said Biswal.

Asked if out-of-favour seniors such as Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh can make a comeback, Biswal said, "Cricket is a game of uncertainties and players like Yuvraj and Sehwag have vast experience, you cannot deny them their chance of making comeback but as of now this team is performing very well".

Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) has not been in favour of using the Decision Review System (DRS) and Biswal backed the official stand.

"The technology is not fool-proof, and there are valid concerns regarding its use. Also, this technology would cost USD 15,000 to 20,000 per day which the channels with television rights are not willing to expend."